Bunkers

Texas solo · Aug 2, 2021

I'm at a point in my life where I believe the SHTF before I die. Also at a point where I will never have to move again. I've always dreamed of having a bunker!

I would want comfort for long term. Would need ventilation, sanitation, etc. I could easily run electric and water lines

I have 2 main ideas but don't know if either are viable.

1) backhoe a hole large enough to drop a container in
and make what I want from that

2) dig hole and make a form to pour concrete for base and walls, add steel top.

Either one would be sufficiently deep with 3/4 feet of dirt on top.

I'm just spit balling here. Can't afford one of the nice pre fab units available. Anyone ever built a bunker?

Inigoes · Aug 2, 2021

Whatever you do, install drainage before you put in your bunker.

You do not want to have an underground swimming pool.

Glaron · Aug 2, 2021

Texas solo said:
Anyone ever built a bunker?

Reminds me of the 70s. I remember having a class project to design a shelter for a family of 4.

it wasnt like this...
https://flashbak.com/chez-armageddon-the-1970s-cold-war-bunker-deep-below-las-vegas-404820/

jollymon · Aug 2, 2021

I have family in Oklahoma that did something similar with one of the smaller containers , They didn't drop it in a hole but set it on a concrete pad and covered it with dirt after coating it with something like they use for spray on bed linear on trucks . It's for tornadoes . When I was visiting a few years ago they showed me how he's got it setup and told him there's only one problem , The doors still only open out , So if something lands in front of the door your trapped , That was corrected by cutting and welding a HD steel door that opens in and still can open the big doors too .

Texas solo · Aug 2, 2021

I found pre made units out of Texas. 20x20 = $155K.

Threeband · Aug 2, 2021

When I was a kid the government sent us a booklet full of instructions on how to build our own bunker.

wilcam47 · Aug 2, 2021

Texas solo said:
I found pre made units out of Texas. 20x20 = $155K.

Yikes

budman93 · Aug 2, 2021

Matt Carriker from demo ranch put in a cool bunker under the garage of the house he is renovating. There are a lot of videos on it.

budman93 · Aug 2, 2021

Rockzilla · Aug 2, 2021

hmmm.

MaxVO2 · Aug 2, 2021

Texas solo said:
I found pre made units out of Texas. 20x20 = $155K.

*****There are some videos as well as instructional plans available from various companies that do or have done this sort of thing for some time. Some of the companies have experience designing and building this sort of thing in other countries, or for Ambassadors, VIP's, and other folks.

You can save a lot of money doing everything yourself for sure, but the advantage of pre-built or having a company that specializes do this or at least pay for the plans to build your own might make it less likely you make the kind of mistakes the typical non pro setup makes and has with relation to things like drainage, air filtration, water filtration/storage, food storage, wall and door design, lighting and electricity, and a bunch of other stuff that has to be thought about to make something that wouldn't just be a waste of your time and money.

Even paying for a couple of hours of a professional outfits time with respect to pricing and options, etc.. can be very very helpful. It's best to not try and reinvent the wheel here and there are many many details for a decent shelter for you and your family, even if just a relatively rudimentary system that will make it viable versus not.

Good luck

slsc98 · Aug 2, 2021

MaxVO2 said:
…the kind of mistakes the typical non pro setup makes and has with relation to things like drainage, air filtration, water filtration/storage, food storage, wall and door design, lighting and electricity, and a bunch of other stuff …

Yep. And frequently topping the list of “hindsight is always 20/20” is waste disposal (human as well as food matter, etc.)

Trekker · Aug 2, 2021

Texas solo said:
1) backhoe a hole large enough to drop a container in
and make what I want from that

I have not worked on such a project myself, but have heard that shipping containers are strong at holding up weight on the corners and top edges, but not across the middle of the sides.

This somewhat makes sense to me, since I have used cardboard boxes as impromptu step-stools. If I (gently) step up on the corners of the cardboard box, it will take my weight. However, if I step into the middle of the cardboard box, naturally my foot will fall through.

I am not saying that a shipping container will not work, just that it might conditionally work depending on how much weight it can hold up, and where the weight of the surrounding soil will press in on it.

Texas solo said:
Either one would be sufficiently deep with 3/4 feet of dirt on top.

I think I read that the house Tom Clancy had in Maryland, has a subterranean shooting range. However, that structure was not placed deep enough beneath the surface of the lawn, resulting in a dead or distressed strip of the lawn showing where the range is buried. For what greenery you plan to have on top of your hidey-hole, some thought should be given to the depth of the roots.

Inigoes said:
Whatever you do, install drainage before you put in your bunker.

You do not want to have an underground swimming pool.

+100 on this. Also, lingering water would hasten rusting of the shipping container or rebar in your concrete walls.

Wangbadan · Aug 2, 2021

The movie “take shelter” is a pretty good instructional video for this

Michael Shannon does a great job in the role despite his large head

Pinecone · Aug 2, 2021

The question is what kind of SHTF.

In the late 50s/early 60s, the fear was that a nuke war would happen. So a bunker was a good thing. Except, when do you come out? If you can come out.

For civil unrest (which looks more likely these days), is a bunker what you really want? Again, when will you come out?

You say you are going to run power and water to it. From where? Could the people you are hiding from find you from the water/power connection? And if things really SHTF, will the power and water still be working?

traveller · Aug 2, 2021

Pinecone said:
The question is what kind of SHTF.

In the late 50s/early 60s, the fear was that a nuke war would happen. So a bunker was a good thing. Except, when do you come out? If you can come out.

For civil unrest (which looks more likely these days), is a bunker what you really want? Again, when will you come out?

You say you are going to run power and water to it. From where? Could the people you are hiding from find you from the water/power connection? And if things really SHTF, will the power and water still be working?

You are clearly asking too many questions.

If social unrest is the concern, a nondescript home in a rural community two hours away is going to be your best hideaway. A bunker only attracts attention.

ted76 · Aug 2, 2021

traveller said:
You are clearly asking too many questions.

If social unrest is the concern, a nondescript home in a rural community two hours away is going to be your best hideaway. A bunker only attracts attention.

That is where I would want my bunker.

Bullfrog · Aug 3, 2021

budman93 said:

That looks very cool, but I would want a back door or escape hatch.

Biggfoot44 · Aug 3, 2021

What Pinecone has started asking .

Back in the day , it was all about nuclear , with parts of Md worried about blast in addition to fallout . Presumably not so much today .

So presumably to discreetly hide out during " civil unrest" then ?

At main residence or the remote Undisclosed Location ? One is inherently safer , but unless you are constantly bugging out at the smallest hint of trouble , the chances are high of getting trapped in gridlock once the actual S H'es T F .

Be moderately hidden to avoid being obvious to a single pass by a mob ?

Be seriously hidden from searchers actually looking for you ?

Be hardened to resist entry attempts and/ or attempts to harm you inside bunker ?

Withstand having the house ( or other structure) burned down on top of the bunker ?

Yeah , something is probably comparitively better than nothing , but you can't be protected against everything on a smaller scale than something like Raven Rock .

Don H · Aug 3, 2021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SptOUafCHzs

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